The final report is a product of the USAID/ Jordan's 55-month Operations and Maintenance Training (OMT) Program that enhances workers and organizational performance in water infrastructure. The report includes the OMT Program's executive summary;; key accomplishments and lessons learned and recommended actions;; and it also identifies some the contexts;; challenges;; methodology and results and impacts of improving the operator standards and performance. According to the report;; the OMT exceeded its expectations and achieved all results in regards to the number of certified operators;; managers;; trainers;; developers;; and coaches graduated;; certified programs;; courses and tests developed;; training sessions conducted;; and legal measures and institutional actions enacted. The report identifies hat the dedicated and hands-on support of OMT's primary partners was a key factor in achieving the OMT target results. The program also expects the structure of the Jordan program will be responsive to changing needs and the progressive development of training capacity within the Jordanian water sector. Following the OMT's completion;; the players in the Jordanian program will continue to build their capacities and move to the next state in their institutional arrangement.

The report presents the findings;; conclusions and recommendations of a midterm evaluation of Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) II;; a five year (2009-2014);; $73 million USAID-funded project. The strategy of the HSS II is to institutionalize strengthened health systems in support of reduced fertility rates and improved women's health. It works with the public health sector;; namely the Ministry of Health;; the Royal Medical Service and the Jordan University Hospital. The report finds that the project has met 13 of its 23 targets for year 3 and is on track to meet all its objectives by the end of the project. Expected results are public sector initiatives in safe motherhood and reproductive health. The HSS II project;; with its close ties with the Ministry of Health for its responsiveness to health needs and integrated approach to health delivery;; has strengthened critical health systems through its support to health management information system;; renovations;; accreditation;; referrals and capacity-building. The report recommends the USAID to negotiate the removal of a requirement that midwives be supervised intrauterine device insertion;; advocate for innovative incentive schemes and varying salary grades that reward midwives and doctors providing FP services and revise project indicators to reflect health outcomes and impact. Further recommendations include continuing support of a broad-scale mass media behavior change and communication campaign and programs that build on gains in maternal and neonatal health.

Since Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994;; there has been growing tension between the Jordanian government and the independent press;; particularly the kingdom's small-circulation weekly newspapers. Journalists and editors have been arrested;; detained and prosecuted for violations of both the penal code and provisions of the press and publications law of 1993. By the count of one Jordanian weekly newspaper;; since the law went into effect sixty-two cases have been brought against journalists and editors;; the overwhelming majority of them with weekly newspapers. Faced with public opposition to normalization of relations with Israel;; frustration about the implementation of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority;; and popular discontent with the state of the economy and high rates of unemployment and underemployment;; Jordanian authorities have clearly signaled a growing discomfort with the exercise of freedom of expression by both individual critics and the press.